End It With A Different Question

Machinists rank second behind engineers on Manpower’s 2008 list of
the 10 hardest jobs to fill in the United States. Huge surprise, right?
Our
industry’s dearth of skilled labor sometimes presents shops and
manufacturers with the unenviable task of vetting (and then training)
young candidates that have

Machinists rank second behind engineers on Manpower’s 2008 list of
the 10 hardest jobs to fill in the United States. Huge surprise, right?

Our
industry’s dearth of skilled labor sometimes presents shops and
manufacturers with the unenviable task of vetting (and then training)
young candidates that have no direct shopfloor experience. Success or
failure of such new hires depends largely on your ability to pick
candidates that demonstrate a healthy assortment “soft skills.”

You
likely have a pat list of interview questions designed to gage a young
prospect’s level of enthusiasm, interpersonal skills, attention to
detail and knack for self-management. I’d be willing to bet that the
last question on that list is: “What questions do you have for me about
the job and/or the company?”

This question should be
asked. A candidate who poses a good selection of the right questions
(i.e. those not pertaining to the amount of available PTO or vacation
time) shows he or she has a desire to learn more about the position,
the company and the industry. That’s obviously a good thing. But if at
the end of the interview you sense there is a good, young prospect
sitting across from you, consider closing with:

Would your parents be interested in visiting our facility?

Let’s
face it. Some people still believe modern shops and manufacturing
facilities are dirty, unsafe environments—places in which they wouldn’t
want their sons or daughters toiling. They also may be of the opinion
that manufacturing in the United States is effectively dead, so any
existing manufacturing jobs in this country aren’t likely to be around
for the long term. Opinions like those will devolve into discouraging
conversations with their youngsters about potential careers in
manufacturing.

I’ve visited clean, organized,
successful shops that prove those stereotypes untrue. Those shops offer
not only training but also a path for young people to progress up
through the company’s ranks. If that describes your shop, then why not
invite the parents to visit? This gives you the opportunity to present
your company’s values, vision, culture and growth strategies to the
prospect and the parents. These visits also allow you to dispel
disparaging manufacturing rumors while showcasing practices you’ve
implemented to boost the efficiency of your employees and make their
jobs easier. You might also let parents chat with employees who have
escalated into positions of greater responsibility.

By
opening your facility to a prospect’s parents, you demonstrate your
openness to provide a quality work experience for their son or
daughter.